Hi! I have a big announcement!! This is an opportunity I don’t feel like I deserve, but it’s such an honor and way too good to turn down. So in an effort to Be Brave and say ‘yes’ to things that scare me – I’m going for it.
Hyland’s Leg Cramps, the official cramp relief partner of the Boston Marathon, has put together a team of runners to share their journey as we prepare to run the Boston Marathon in April. It’s a social media project that is challenging us to share our motivation, adversity and preparation to run 26.2 miles. They asked me to be on the team and I said YES.
So, you can follow along with me and the other runners on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and blog updates – we’re planning on sharing different aspects of training at least 3 times a week!
This is extra special for me because:
1. Qualifying for the Boston Marathon is one of my big life goals. My best race time is about 2 minutes away from the qualifying time = sub 3:35. I’ve been working on getting in shape to train and run a goal race (a race where I’d go for a specific goal vs. just running as training or for fun which is what I do most of the time) since the beginning of the year.
That’s still the long term plan – train hard, pick a race, run hard. But, since I just started training and trying to get back in real race shape it’s not going to happen before April. So, things are a little out of order but most of the time big goals aren’t as simple as a straight line from A to B, right?
(For those that don’t know – the Boston Marathon requires you qualify to run the race by running another marathon under a specific time. The times are determined by age & sex. If you run fast enough to qualify you can register. You can also run Boston by raising money with a charity or running with a company sponsor.)
*Here’s my video on why I stopped training for a PR for a while.*
2. This is the 50th anniversary of when Kathy Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon with a bib, ran the race!!
Rumor has it one of the race officials tried to physically remove her from the course because women weren’t allowed to run.
This article is noted by Switzer as the true account of what happened at the 1967 Boston Marathon. –> Kathy Switzer Boston Marathon Her Real Story
How is that related? Well, this team is all about celebrating girl power like Switzer’s!
The 2017 Hyland’s Boston Marathon team is all female and includes super inspirational, hard-working ladies who are doing great things for girls, minorities and the less fortunate. Love.
I’m just over here keeping my local pizza place in business… gotta step it up!
Boston Marathon Announcement Video
I’m not the fastest or fanciest or fun-est or funniest or anything-est run blogger – but I am a girl who is open to sharing the ups and downs of a big challenge with her peeps on the internet.
Over the next 12 weeks I’ll be sharing my training, thoughts, fears, struggles and other fun (and not so fun) stuff that comes with training to run 26.2 miles. Follow along here and on RER’s social media:
Run Eat Repeat home address – just kidding unless you’re sending me food.
In non-running news…
Spark is changing their packaging. I know there have been questions about it but it’s the same magical drink mix, just updated boxes to bags. I think the canisters are staying the same but the ‘on the go’ stick packs are now coming in these bags.
*Check out my shop page for my favorite flavors list.
Congrats on Boston! I’m planning to go this year for round two (I qualified twice in one year) but am not sure I’ll be able to 🙁 Will be 22 weeks pregnant in April, and I was in the process of recovering from a patellar tendon tear, so my fitness has been slow to restore in light of all this. But, one day at a time and I’m excited to follow the journey!!
Congratulations!!! Sending tons of love on the baby <3
But, sorry about the tear, ugh that sucks. I hope you're a-okay now.
Congratulations! Of course you couldn’t say no…it’s the Boston Marathon! I’m envious!
Monica!!! That’s so exciting!! You are running Boston!! Awesome! I’m already a big fan of your. You have inspired me to push myself and go beyond my comfort zone, so I am super happy for you! My goal this year? I’d like to do a 10K, so we will see how I do training for that.
Ahhhh!!! That’s so awesome!!! Love watching all the awesome runners on Marathon Monday!! I’ll come cheer you on and make you a sign (and pretend you’re a close, personal friend of mine lol) !!!!
Congratulations, Monica! That is awesome news!
I start training for my very first half marathon in a few weeks, so your posts will continue to motivate and inspire me.
Best, Amy
How exciting!! And you totally deserve this opportunity. You have been one of my favorite bloggers (running and otherwise) for a long time. Enjoy it. Rooting for you from Oklahoma!
Go girl go! So happy for you, that’s awesome. I’m over here just trying to run without falling down. It’s a struggle every day. hehe
Oh my gosh, I am so excited for you!! What an amazing opportunity!
I too, am trying to qualify for Boston. The main race I am going to try and qualify at isn’t until Dec, but I’ll have lots of training races before then. The next one is 2/25 and then a fun downhill one on 3/12.
Congrats! I ran Boston in 2016 and it was AMAZING!! You will have the BEST time!! My BIG goal for this year is NYC Marathon! I qualified by time at the LB marathon in Oct and I am waiting to hear is I definitely got in! Fingers crossed!!
Exciting! My big goal this year is to break 1:30 in the half, which will be very difficult – it means I need to shave 5 minutes off my PR.
I ran my first marathon last fall in 3:29 so I’ve qualified for Boston, just need to get in now! I am hoping the 6 minute buffer will be enough.
Congratulations!!!
Very exciting! Are you still working with a coach, or making up your own training plan? It would be cool to qualify for Boston at Boston:)
Congrats! Very exciting for you.
My big goal this year is to run another marathon this coming Fall. I ran my first marathon in 2012 and have just been focusing on half marathons and getting faster.
I am most proud of running the Boston Marathon 3 times. I am not fast enough to qualify so I’ve ran with charities each time. Good luck on your journey.
I’ve been a runner of short distances for two years now. So my plan is to go for half-marathon this year, and finish strong. My plan for that is to start my half-marathon training just right after I finish my 10 miler training.
Congratulations! It will be fun to follow your training progress. My big goal is to toe the starting line of two marathons this year: Big Sur in April and CIM in December. My first marathon was last year, the SF Marathon in July and I had a wonderful training cycle. Hoping I can stay healthy and injury free along the way.
I am running Boston as well! I am a local so it has been a dream of mine for a long time. Simialr to you, I knew that even if I qualified one day I would not be guaranteed a spot. So, when I got the opportunity to raise money for a charity and earn a bib that way I jumped at it!
Good luck training! You should organize a meet up when you are in town!
Awesome, congratulations!! I am so excited for you that you will finally run the Boston Marathon!
Also, love that its an all-woman team!
I’m excited to follow up on your journey!! Keep us posted 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Awesome! Well deserved too! Can’t wait to follow along. 🙂
Congratulations!! You’re going to rock Boston, you’ve been working so hard to up your game lately.
My big goal is to get rid of my injuries so I can actually feel good on my easy runs. Right now everything every mile is a struggle. No time goals for any races this year.
Great news Monica, congrats!!! Can’t wait to follow along on your journey to Boston!
Looks super fun! Sally McRae is in your group, love all her stuff.
To finish strong at my 100 miler in June, plan is to train hard and run lots:)